Cleaning Responsibly
Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are different
terms: you don’t always need to do all three.
Regular gentle home cleaning keeps your family healthy.
However, many cleaning products can be irritating or hazardous.
Choose minimally harmful products to protect your family’s and the environment’s health.
Cleaning is an important pillar of a healthy home! Cleaning your home frequently can reduce environmental exposures from lead, mold, germs, and allergens such as dust, pet dander, pests. It can also reduce possible residues from smoke, exhaust, or other air pollutants.
Cleaning responsibly promotes human health and environmental safety. It means cleaning regularly enough to reduce germs and keep your family healthy- which does not mean that your home has to look like a magazine cover. It also means cleaning with safer products, good ventilation, and personal protective equipment. We sometimes call this “green cleaning” or “greener cleaning”. However, be careful when shopping- some products may make vague claims to be “environmentally friendly,” “eco safe,” or “green,” without backing up those claims. There are certain labels you can look for to make sure the products you choose are actually safer (and actually greener), such as Design for the Environment (DfE), Safer Choice, Green Seal, or UL ECOLOGO®. See the section on ‘How to Shop for Responsible Products’ below to learn more.
Truly eco-friendly cleaning products are often cheaper, and they can work just as well as traditional cleaning products1. These products are often less toxic and can protect the health of your family and the environment.
Cleaning products have a range of germ-killing strengths. It is important to choose the right kind of product for the surface and situation. This will depend on your goal: cleaning, sanitizing, or disinfecting.
Cleaning: Soap, water, and scrubbing remove germs, dirt, and grime from household surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but removes some of them. For example, regular cleaning of refrigerators, carpets, phones, clothes, and linens is enough.
Sanitizing: Weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays lower the number of germs on a surface to a level deemed safe by public health organizations. Examples like food-related items and surfaces (tables, high chairs, counters, dishes), toys, pacifiers, and sinks, should be sanitized after cleaning. Many dishwashers sanitize dishes and utensils by using heat to kill germs.
Disinfecting: Stronger bleach solutions or EPA-registered disinfectant products kill more germs than sanitizers. Although they kill more germs, this also means that they are more concentrated and can be harsher. Examples like bathroom-related items (changing tables, diaper pails, toilets, bathroom floors) and door handles may need to be disinfected, especially if someone is sick in your home.3 Again, the bathroom floors and diaper pails are more of an issue in homes where children may be crawling or touching with hands, and then placing hands in their mouth. Make sure to wash hands after changing diapers and after using the bathroom.
Why does this matter? It is important because you want to minimize the use of harsher disinfecting products like bleach or ammonia when you can. But it is also important to adequately clean a surface; areas that involve hygiene and eating are the top priority. One big point to think about is how germs travel from surfaces, to little hands, to mouths. Focus on clean surfaces within reach of children in homes with toddlers or children that often put their hands in their mouth. Don’t forget that hand washing before eating and after using the bathroom are still essential.
It means that sometimes it’s a two-step process. First, clean with soap and water. Minimize use of harsher disinfecting products like bleach or ammonia if just cleaning is enough. Then, sanitize or disinfect as a second step if needed. Some sanitizers and disinfectants need to sit for a few minutes, so read the label for instructions.2
This can be reassuring for busy parents. Know that it is okay if your house doesn’t look perfectly tidy all the time. By knowing which parts of a dirty home can influence health, you can feel confident that your home is healthy where it counts.
HealthyChildrenOrg Cleaners, Sanitizers, and Disinfectants
CDC When and How to Clean and Disinfect Your Home
Although having a clean home is part of a healthy home, it is important to understand that cleaning products have risks as well. Never combine cleaning products as it can be dangerous. For example, mixing bleach with ammonia can create a deadly gas. Accidental ingestion of cleaning products can pose a medical emergency for your child. Keep supplies locked and out of sight from children. If you have any concerns about exposure to or ingestion of cleaning products, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Children are more at risk from the effects of toxic cleaning products because they are growing and developing. They breathe faster and breathe more air compared to their body weight than adults. Behaviors like crawling on the floor or placing objects and hands in their mouth also put them at more risk. Children with asthma are also more sensitive to cleaning products and other strong chemicals.1
At high enough concentrations, many cleaning agents (bleach, ammonia, and more) can cause skin burns and throat or lung irritation. Even when using at lower concentrations, always wear gloves and clean in ventilated spaces to prevent eye, nose, and lung irritation. Because these products can be harsh, this is why it is a good idea to only disinfect when necessary.
Many conventional cleaning products have a mixture of ingredients that release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs stay in the air for a long time after the product is used. VOCs can irritate the eyes, nose and throat and cause headaches, nausea and respiratory problems. In sensitive individuals, VOCs can also worsen asthma symptoms.4 These effects are worse in unventilated areas.
Cleaning products can also expose us and the environment to plastics, toxic substances and mixtures that can harm our health, even long after they are used. Aquatic life in rivers that receive any inadequately filtered sewage water can be affected by cleaning ingredients that have been washed down the drain.
The good news is that there are cleaning products that are safer for your family’s health and can limit their exposure to harmful ingredients (see the section on “How Can I Shop for Responsible Products?” below). It is also important to recognize that you may need these chemicals from time to time for necessary sanitizing and/or disinfecting. Limiting use and keeping your family away from areas where these chemicals are being used can help to limit their exposure in these cases. Any cleaning product should be kept away and out of sight of children. We recommend you speak with your child’s pediatrician if you have any health concerns about cleaning product use.
While you can shop for greener products at the store, you can also make some cleaners at home. Here are some recipes:1
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANING SPRAY
Consider this for glass, countertops, stoves and sinks.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup vinegar
- 2 cups of water
- Lemon juice, lemon or orange peels (optional)
Directions:
Pour ingredients into a clean, empty spray bottle. If you dislike the smell of vinegar, add fresh lemon juice or pour vinegar into a jar and add orange peel or lemon peels. Cover tightly and let sit for several days and then pour off the liquid (discarding the peels).
Note: Vinegar can be used on glass, walls, cupboards, floors, sinks, stovetops, toilets, bathtubs and coffee makers. But it can damage or discolor natural stone, wood that has been waxed, cast iron or aluminum.
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANING SCRUB
Shaking baking soda onto a damp sponge is enough to clean many surfaces, including showers, tubs and sinks. If there is a grimy build-up, as can occur on a stove top or in the oven, you can use this all-purpose cleaning scrub.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon water
Directions:
Mix baking soda, salt and water to make a paste. Spread the paste onto the stove top, inside the oven or in stainless-steel sinks. Let sit for a few minutes, then scrub. It is best to clean regularly to avoid large buildup that will require a lot of scrubbing and reapplication.
The word “green” is often used to market products and services. However, it can be hard for families to know if a product is truly safer or more eco-friendly. There are no standard definitions of the word green, and there aren’t laws for how the word can be used.
Because of this, it is important to learn how to read labels. There are some things you can look for to help choose greener products. Manufacturers are not required to list ingredients on household products. However, signal words and symbols or pictograms on the label can tell us how toxic a product is.5 Here is a chart to help you define key signal words:
In addition, the FDA has found that “antimicrobial soaps” and “antibacterial soaps” are no better than plain soap, so it’s better to just use plain soap for handwashing. (FDA)
If you choose to buy, shop for products that:
- Fully disclose all ingredients
- Are certified by a third-party certification organization (Design for the Environment Disinfectants Program (DfE), Safer Choice, Green Seal, or UL ECOLOGO®.)
- Are packaged in pump-spray bottles, not aerosol cans. Aerosol cans can create a mist that stays in the air longer and can penetrate deeper into the lungs, increasing exposure.
- Are packaged in recyclable containers.
You can also avoid products that:
- Are packaged in aerosol cans.
- Contain added fragrance
- Contain disinfectants (unless you are specifically trying to disinfect)
You can also make your own cleaners at home: see the section titled “Homemade Recipes” above.
American Lung Association: Choose Safer Cleaning Products
Western States PEHSU: Choosing Safer Products to Clean and Sanitize Your Home
Routinely cleaning your home is important and can keep your family healthy. To ensure that you are cleaning safely, you can try to use responsible products whenever possible. Follow our steps outlined above to learn how to identify responsible products when shopping or make your own.
Only use sanitizers and disinfectants when and where it is necessary. These products contain ingredients that kill germs. They are all hazardous to people and the environment to some degree. If you must use these products, use them correctly, safely, and according to manufacturer’s instructions to avoid harm to health.
General safe cleaning tips:
- Products must be stored in original labeled containers and inaccessible to children.
- Diluted disinfectants and sanitizers in spray bottles must be labeled and stored out of reach of children.
- Solutions should not be sprayed when children are nearby to avoid inhalation and exposing skin and eyes.
- Follow label instructions for use. Wear any suggested protective equipment such as gloves or eye protection.
- Airflow & ventilation: Keep windows open and fans running while cleaning.
- Use this guide to know when to clean, sanitize, or disinfect6
- Keep children out of the area when cleaning. Children with asthma are especially sensitive to bleach, Quats, and other strong chemicals.
- Wash hands after using cleaning products and always before eating.
Updated: Sophia Milazzo and Emma Chang, RN MPH, 10/2025
